Chapter 26
Qiu Chiyan looked at her and suddenly felt a strange, indescribable feeling.
I felt a strange joy, but I had to suppress my emotions.
He knew she wasn't the kind of person who would truly settle down in one place. She could smile as she brewed tea and did the accounts in this little inn, but her gaze would always, at certain moments, look beyond the gate and fall on a more distant place.
"Have you ever been to Yinma River in northern Mongolia?" he suddenly asked.
Shen Yu shook her head: "I've never been to such a far place."
“That is one of the few rivers in the northern desert that never dries up, and it is the permanent home of nomadic tribes. My master left me there to hone my skills for more than a year. During that time, whenever I had free time, I would go to the river to roast meat at sunset. The setting sun would dye the river water reddish-gold, and the dwarf willow branches would droop into the water, turning into fragments of gold. Herdsmen would drive their flocks back, winding along the riverbank like clouds on the ground.”
Shen Yu listened intently.
"That sounds great."
"If there is an opportunity..." Qiu Chiyan tried to open his mouth, but before he could finish speaking, he saw Shen Yu's eyes shining with determination.
"I will definitely go!"
It was a resounding statement.
Qiu Chiyan lowered his head and chuckled softly.
Indeed, there's no need for further explanation or persuasion. Just let her know that such a place exists, and she'll find it on her own without anyone else having to say anything.
The two talked until night fell and the sky began to lighten, then they quietly went downstairs to prepare to open their shop.
Despite not having slept all night, Shen Yu's energy remained remarkably high. She cleaned and tidied the entire inn early in the morning and prepared some simple dishes.
She had just finished wiping the table when a refined-looking middle-aged man walked in.
He was wearing a gray-blue robe and looked around.
"Are you here for a meal or to stay overnight?" Shen Yu asked him.
"You must be Manager Shen Yu?" the man asked in return.
"I am."
He looked her up and down, chuckled, didn't answer her, and sat down directly.
"I'm not going to eat or stay at a hotel; I've come here because I've heard so much about it." He closed his fan, sat down, and slightly clasped his hands in greeting to Chen Yu. "Let me introduce myself. I am Chu Zihai, the manager of the second branch of Moyuntang."
Just as he was explaining his background, Qiu Chiyan and Gong Er came in from the backyard.
The name "Moyuntang" has long been considered extremely unlucky in the inn.
Just as the two were about to step forward, Shen Yu raised her hand to signal them to stop behind her.
"I can only provide meals or lodging here. If you're not interested in either, then my little shop probably can't afford to accommodate you," Shen Yu replied.
"Don't be in a hurry, Manager Shen. I'm just here to express my gratitude."
Chu Zihai laughed and flicked his fan: "Those fools in the Three-Part Hall, they made a mess of their own lives and brought disaster to the family. They are always arrogant and conceited, and they still think that their methods will work when they go out. I have to thank Manager Shen for helping me deal with Shi Yang, so that I don't have to spare any time to clean up their own house."
These words seemed to place all the blame on them, mixing gratitude with shirking responsibility, making it sound as if they were in the right.
"Why is Steward Chu coming to me with all this? He would be better off hurrying up and collecting the Gu worms to avoid public resentment and losing his family's wealth."
Chu Zihai chuckled lightly, showing no annoyance. He remained seated calmly and leisurely, his gaze lingering on Qiu Chiyan as he casually remarked, "With such a large business as Moyuntang, the fact that even a mouse has crawled into our sights means the business is already saturated. Naturally, we won't shirk our responsibilities. We'll take responsibility for what we've done. Whether in the imperial court or the martial world, Moyuntang will act with a clear conscience. But, as I've said, we'll handle our own troubles and not bother others."
Qiu Chiyan wasn't stupid; he knew these words were directed at him, but he didn't intend to back down: "It's our duty to investigate the reports received by the yamen. Since the manager is so righteous, he probably won't shy away from cooperating with the government."
"Of course," Chu Zihai replied quickly, but without looking at him.
"Besides expressing my gratitude, I also have my own selfish reasons." He stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Shen Yu, and said, "I have heard that Manager Shen is highly skilled in martial arts, so I have come to learn from him."
"I don't have time, I have business to do," Shen Yu replied immediately.
"Of course it won't be a delay, so I specifically chose to come here very early in the morning."
“…No, no, you people are so strange. Go find someone who is willing to fight. You always have to come looking for someone who is not willing.”
Shen Yu picked up the rag and flicked it impatiently.
"In that case, I won't bother you any longer." Unexpectedly, Chu Zihai didn't linger and left decisively.
Gong Er leaned against the door, only letting out a sigh of relief after confirming he was gone: "Mo Yuntang is really persistent. In the end, what does it have to do with us?"
"From now on, we'll be completely unrelated," Qiu Chiyan said quietly.
"Hey." Gong Er nudged him with his elbow. "You're the kind of person who quietly accomplishes great things, are you just seeking revenge?"
"...I'm just doing my job. Old cases are unclear, but investigating them is my responsibility..."
"Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, anyway, it was just a lucky coincidence, right?" Gong Er had an expression that said, "I understand."
“…”
Shen Yu went to the backyard to put away the cleaning tools and then started letting everyone order food.
Lately, she's been very busy, and she's become less and less concerned about whether she earns enough to cover her expenses. In times like these, she wants to eat well.
She left the inn to others and went out with Yao Liuliu to buy fresh ingredients.
When no strange people disturbed it, everything at the inn was normal.
Qiu Chiyan, who hadn't done this in a long time, took out his abacus and began to sort out the accounts.
As I was doing that, I glanced out of the corner of my eye at the door and saw someone loitering around outside.
He looked up and was taken aback.
"Grandfather?"
"Hey! You're hard to find! I had to go through two alleys to find you." An old man in a brocade robe strode in, his eyes showing a hint of heroism and a robust physique beyond his years.
Qiu Chiyan immediately went to greet him.
"How's it going? I received your letter saying you were investigating a case here. Why are you staying here instead of at the yamen?" He pulled Qiu Chiyan around a few times, and seeing that he was unharmed, he felt relieved.
Qiu Chiyan always reported good news in his letters and never bad news. Now that he had no external injuries, he was even less likely to mention the attack.
"It's a long story. This is my friend's shop. Are you here to see the Hundred Doors Sacrifice? You're too early."
"Hey, I was almost there when they told me it was postponed. I can't just turn back, can I?"
The old man spoke quickly and rapidly, his expression still revealing a hint of sharpness: "Quickly, get me a room; I want to stay here too."
"No, that won't do. If you stay here, will we charge you? There are only a few guest rooms in total, so they won't make any money."
"Hey you little brat, you're trying to charge me?" The old man raised his hand to slap him, but it landed lightly.
The noise from ahead gradually approached, and Gong Er followed the sound, wiping the wine off his hands as he peered over.
Seeing that Qiu Chiyan was chatting and laughing happily with the old man, and that there was a hint of intimacy in his expression, he immediately became less casual and put on his usual skill of reading people, and stepped forward with a smile to ask.
"This is my maternal grandfather..."
Before Qiu Chiyan could finish his introduction, the old man smiled and took over the conversation, his voice full of vigor: "I am Qin Lie."
This name should be known to everyone in the entire martial arts world.
Gong Er was speechless for a moment. While he was looking around, he silently pointed at the figure from behind, his face full of questions for Qiu Chiyan: was this real?
Qiu Chiyan reluctantly raised his hand and nodded.
Qin Lie, the richest merchant in Jiangnan and the head of the Qin family who controls half of the business routes, is rumored to have connections to the heavens and be as rich as a country, yet he keeps a low profile.
Gong Er nearly choked on the news.
Is this really such a vibrant old man? Or is he Qiu Chiyan's maternal grandfather?
"You brat! Pay me back for the rent and food!" he threatened in a low voice.
“My maternal grandfather insists on living here. Let’s work together to trick him into leaving.”
"Why are you going to bombard him?" Gong Er's expression immediately changed, and he went to entertain Qin Lie with a smile.
"Are you Chi Yan's friend and the manager of this place?" Qin Lie asked him.
"No, it's not me. Our manager has gone to the market to buy things and will be back soon. Please come upstairs!"
Gong Er was very attentive.
About half an hour later, Shen Yu and Yao Liuliu returned, and the entire inn already knew about it.
"Shopkeeper, we can't let him stay here. My maternal grandfather will definitely be searching for information about me." Qiu Chiyan pulled Shen Yu aside amidst the chaos and pleaded.
"You didn't kill anyone or commit arson, so what are you feeling guilty about?"
"...I didn't want the elders in the family to know bad news. Besides, these are all government matters, he should ask as little as possible."
"If you don't ask at the inn, but instead go around asking around on the street, you might get something even more outrageous," Shen Yu kindly reminded him.
“…”
That's true.
Given my maternal grandfather's temperament, he would insist on getting to the bottom of things.
That's all.
Qiu Chiyan sighed softly, but when his gaze fell on Shen Yu's head, where the bamboo hairpin was still inserted, his mood improved again.
"A hairpin stands alone, perhaps..."
"Two of them would break my conscience."
"...What?" Qiu Chiyan chuckled. Shen Yu's occasional sudden ramblings were truly unpredictable.
Since family members were visiting, Shen Yu naturally wanted to treat them well. She went straight into the kitchen, intending to cook a big meal with Yao Liuliu.
Gong Er and Xu Dahe were enough to entertain the guests in the front hall, while Granny Chen assisted in the back.
Taking advantage of the moment, Qin Lie grabbed Qiu Chiyan's wrist with considerable force.
"Where is the young innkeeper from? Where does he live? Who are his parents?"
"...Are you checking the household registration?"
"Stop changing the subject. Do you think I can't see through you, brat?" Qin Lie snorted. "So that's why you're staying here. Turns out you have ulterior motives and are eyeing her..."
Qiu Chiyan immediately put a finger to Qin Lie's lips: "Keep your voice down!"
"Okay! I didn't deny it, I was just afraid of being overheard!" Qin Lie burst into another hearty laugh.
Qiu Chiyan looked towards the kitchen and saw that everyone was busy, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's not even close to being settled yet, so please don't get involved."
"If you don't have a stroke, then just draw one! It's that simple!"
"...I never said it, and she didn't say anything either. Besides, I have to go back to the capital in another month."
"Oh dear, even a junior constable doesn't earn much money. Just quit. Without a family, what career path can you have? Let me tell you, don't be timid. You have to actively pursue relationships. Do you know how you got here? It's all thanks to your dad's shameless persistence!"
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